Meetings in a Magazine - Los Angeles AA · 2019-11-08 · Meetings in a Magazine Four Basic AA...

Meetingsin a

MagazineFour Basic AA Meeting Formats

Including Readings & Prayers

A free publication from A.A. Central Office of Los Angeles

Dear AA Groups,

The following are four basic 60-minute AA meeting formats with literature excerpts, all in one PDF. These can help if you’re starting a new meeting, want to change your format, or you’ve lost your format and need one at a moment’s notice.

Use them on a tablet or smartphone - zooming where necessary. It’s fairly easy to follow, if you remember the color of your format so you can return to it after scrolling to a reading.

This document isn’t in any way meant to dictate the format of any AA group. All meetings are autonomous. So, feel free to edit our text to suit your group’s needs, if they so desire.

Our wish: that you stay sober and get to a meeting. :)

- Pete A, Literature Chair - AA Central Office of Los Angeles

Introduction

CO

NT

ENT

SSingle Speaker Format ..............................................03Speaker shares for 45 mins; Chips and Birthdays.

Speaker/Sharing Format ..........................................04 Speaker share: 30 mins. Share: 15 mins.

Big Book Study/Speaker/Sharing Format ..............05Big Book Reading; Speaker share: 20 mins. Sharing :12 mins.

Round Robin Sharing Format ...................................06Round robin sharing: 45 mins.

How It Works ..............................................................07-08

The Twelve Traditions ................................................09

A Vision for You ..........................................................10

The Promises ..............................................................10

AA Prayers ..................................................................12

(LEADER)Welcome to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

My name is __ and I am an alcoholic. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and

women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other, that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions.

AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Are there any other alcoholics here other than myself? Are there any newcomers in their first 30 days of sobriety, if so please stand and tell us your name and your length of sobriety.

I have asked __ to read a portion of Chapter 5, “How It Works” from the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”. (Go to Page 7.)

(LEADER)We celebrate various lengths of sobriety at this

meeting. Will our chip person please stand up? (Chips)

(LEADER)It is now time to observe the 7th Tradition, which

states that we are self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please put your court cards and house slips in the basket, they will be returned after the meeting. I have asked __ to read the “ 12 Traditions”. (Go to Page 9.)

(LEADER)I would now like to welcome our speaker __ .

(Speaker shares for 45 minutes.)

(LEADER) We celebrate birthdays at this meeting for each

365 days of continuous sobriety. Tonight we have __ birthdays. Will the cake person come up?

(Birthdays)

(SECRETARY)Let’s once again welcome our newcomers __ . And let’s give a hand to our birthday celebrants __ . And once again, let’s thank our speaker __ .Are there any announcements from our literature

person? Continue: Sponsorship, etc. Are there any AA-related announcements? Thank you for coming and remember: what you

hear here, who you see here, when you leave here let it stay here.

I have asked __ to read “A Vision For You” and lead us in the __ prayer. (Go to Page 10.)

Page 3

Single Speaker Format

(LEADER)Welcome to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

My name is __ and I am an alcoholic. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and








(Speaker shares for 30 mins.)



(LEADER)We will now open the meeting for 3 minute shares.

Who would like to begin?(Sharing for 15 minutes.)

(SECRETARY)Are there any “burning desires?”Let’s once again welcome our newcomers __ . And let’s give a hand to our birthday celebrants __ . And once again, let’s thank our speaker __ .Are there any announcements from our literature



I have asked __ to read “The Promises” and lead us in the __ prayer. (Go to Page 11.)

Speaker/Sharing Format

Page 4

(LEADER)Welcome to a Big Book Study meeting of Alcoholics

Anonymous. My name is __ and I am an alcoholic. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and





(LEADER)In this meeting, we read a portion of The Big Book

for 10 minutes, one at a time on each paragraph. Let’s begin with chapter __ on page __. (Reading)


(Speaker shares on the reading for 20 mins.)



(LEADER)We will now open the meeting for 3 minute sharing

on today’s reading. Who would like to begin?(Sharing for 12 minutes.)

(SECRETARY)Are there any “burning desires?”Let’s once again welcome our newcomers __ . And let’s give a hand to our birthday celebrants __ . And once again, let’s thank our speaker __ .Are there any announcements from our literature



I have asked __ to read “A Vision For You” and lead us in the __ prayer. (Go to Page 10.)

Big Book Study/Sharing Format

Page 5

(LEADER)Welcome to a Round Robin meeting of Alcoholics

Anonymous. My name is __ and I am an alcoholic. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and




I have asked __ to read a portion of Chapter 5, “How It Works” from the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”. (Go to .)



(LEADER)It is now time for round robin sharing. We will

go around the group and share for 3-5 minutes. We remind you that there is no cross-talk at this meeting, this means that we do not inturrupt any person while they’re sharing or respond directly to their share. Who would like to begin?

(Round Robin sharing for 45 minutes.)



(SECRETARY)Are there any “burning desires?”Let’s once again welcome our newcomers __ . Are there any announcements from our literature

person? Continue: Sponsorship, etc. Are there any AA-related announcements? Thank you for coming to the meeting, and

remember: what you hear here, who you see here, when you leave here let it stay here.

I have asked __ to read “The Promises” and lead us in the __ prayer. (Go to Page 11.)

Round Robin Sharing Format

Page 6

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those too, who have suffered grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it - then you are ready to take certain steps.

At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we

could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

Remember that we deal with alcohol - cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power- that One is God. May you find Him now!

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

Here are the steps we took which are suggested as a program of recovery: 1. We admitted we were powerless over

alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable. 2. Came to believe that a power greater

than ourselves could restore us to sanity.3. Made a decision to turn our will and

our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

(Continued on next page)

Page 7

How It Works

(How It Works - Continued)

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to

another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove

all these defects of character. 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our

shortcomings. . 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed,

and became willing to make amends to them all. 9. Made direct amends to such people,

wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 10. Continued to take personal inventory

and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. 11. Sought through prayer and meditation

to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the

result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Many of us exclaimed, “What an order! I can’t go through with it!” Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are

guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress, rather than spiritual perfection. Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not

manage our own lives. (b) That probably no human power could

relieve our alcoholism, and (c) That God could and would if He were

sought.

Page 8

From Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 58-60by permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. ©

The Twelve Traditions

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

3. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.

5. Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

6. An AA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

7. Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside

contributions.

8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

9. AA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

Page 9

From Alcoholics Anonymous pgs. 561-562by permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. ©

Our book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little.

God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your morning

meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The

answers will come, if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot

transmit something you haven’t got. See to it that your relationship with Him

is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This

is the Great Fact for us.

Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him

and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what

you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and

you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.

May God bless you and keep you - until then.

From Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 164 by permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. ©

Page 10

A Vision for You

From Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 83-84 by permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. ©

Page 11

The Promises

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be

amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new

freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut

the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know

peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how

our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity

will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our

fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life

will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will

intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will

suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled

among us - sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always

materialize if we work for them.

The Serenity PrayerGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

The Third Step PrayerGod, I offer myself to Thee - to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear wit-ness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!

The Seventh Step PrayerMy Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.

From 12 Steps and 12 Traditions pg. 41 & Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 63 & 76 by permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. ©

Page 12

AA PRAYERS

The Eleventh Step PrayerLord, make me a channel of thy peace-that where there is hatred, I may bring love-that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness-that where there is discord, I may bring harmony-that where there is error, I may bring truth-that where there is doubt, I may bring faith-that where there is despair, I may bring hope-that where there are shadows-I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted—to understand, than to be understood—to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life. Amen.

From Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions pg. 99, by permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. ©

© 2019 A.A. Central Office of Los Angeles

A.A. Central Office of Los Angeles4311 Wilshire Blvd #104, Los Angeles, CA 90010

(323) 936-4343 - www.lacoaa.orgEmail: [email protected]

AA PRAYERS

Meetings in a Magazine - Los Angeles AA · 2019-11-08 · Meetings in a Magazine Four Basic AA...

Documents

Transcript of Meetings in a Magazine - Los Angeles AA · 2019-11-08 · Meetings in a Magazine Four Basic AA...